Headache is a very common condition that most people will experience many times during their lives. The main symptom of a headache is a pain in your head or face which can be throbbing, constant, sharp or dull.

Causes

There are two main categories of headaches

– Primary headaches: this category of headache isn’t due to another medical condition. The category includes: cluster headaches, migraine, new daily persistent headaches (NDPH), and tension headaches.

– Secondary headaches: are headache disorders characterized by recurrent headache. Secondary headaches are related to other medical conditions, such as: head injury, high blood pressure (hypertension), infection, medication overuse, sinus congestion, trauma, and tumor.

Types

The following are the various types of headaches:

– Migraine: This is a primary headache disorder. It is more common in women, usually by a factor of about 2:1, because of hormonal influences. Migraine is recurrent, often life-long, and characterized by recurring attacks. Attacks typically include headache and nausea. The attack frequency is anywhere between once a year and once a week.

– Tension-type headache (TTH): Is described as pressure or tightness, often like a band around the head, sometimes spreading into or from the neck. TTH attacks usually last a few hours, but can persist for several days.

– Cluster Headache (CH): This is a relatively uncommon type of headache characterized by frequently recurring (up to several times a day), brief but extremely severe headache, usually focused in or around one eye, with tearing and redness of the eye, the nose runs or is blocked on the affected side and the eyelid may droop.

Natural remedies for headache
1. Sip Some Ginger Tea
2. Relax with Yoga
3. Get Some Exercise
4. Try Acupuncture
5. Soothe Pain with a Cold Compress
6. Use Essential Oils
7. Avoid Strong Smells
8. Try a B-Complex Vitamin
9. Consider Taking Coenzyme Q10
10. Avoid excessive intake of caffeine

Written by: Ebere Chienjine

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurologic disorder that causes the brain to shrink (atrophy) and brain cells to die.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia a continuous decline in thinking, behavioral and social skills that affects a person’s ability to function independently.

There is no treatment that cures Alzheimer’s disease or alters the disease process in the brain.

The exact causes of Alzheimer’s disease aren’t fully understood.

Alzheimer’s disease is thought to be caused by the abnormal build-up of proteins in and around brain cells.

Although it’s still unknown what triggers Alzheimer’s disease, several factors are known to increase your risk of developing the condition such as; Age, family history, head injuries, cardiovascular diseases, untreated depression, and a sedentary lifestyle.

Symptoms

The early signs of the disease include forgetting recent events or conversations.

As the disease progresses, a person with Alzheimer’s disease will develop severe memory impairment and lose the ability to carry out everyday tasks.

Other symptoms include;

Difficulty remembering new information
Trouble organizing and planning
Confusion
Forgetfulness
Decreased thinking skills
Problems with simple arithmetic
Poor judgment
Personality changes
Mood swings
Severe memory loss

5 NATURAL TREATMENTS FOR ALZHEIMERS DISEASE
1. Lowering stress – Lowering your daily levels of stress can improve your mental health, reduce inflammation, and decrease your risk of Alzheimers disease.

2. Healthy sleep – Sleep is your body’s way of resetting. Proper restful sleep allows your body and brain the time needed to restore balance to your system. This helps reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimers.

3. Improving heart health – High blood pressure, heart disease, and high cholesterol during middle age significantly increase the risk of developing dementia later in life. A diet high in healthy fats, whole grains, fish, lean proteins, nuts, fruits, and vegetables has been shown to combat obesity, diabetes, and improve cognitive function.

4. Exercise – 150 minutes of aerobic exercise each week for those over 65 is shown to protect cognitive performance. Walking 30 minutes each day increases the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain.

5. Social interaction and an active mind – Keeping your mind active reduces the risk for cognitive decline. Learning a new activity, such as dancing, creates new pathways of communication in the brain. Acquiring new skills and reminiscing on cherished life events are excellent ways to help prevent loss of cognitive function.

Written by: Oreoluwa Hassan

Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home.

Depression Is Different From Sadness or Grief/Bereavement

The death of a loved one, loss of a job or the ending of a relationship are difficult experiences for a person to endure. It is normal for feelings of sadness or grief to develop in response to such situations. Those experiencing loss often might describe themselves as being “depressed.”

But being sad is not the same as having depression. The grieving process is natural and unique to each individual and shares some of the same features of depression. Both grief and depression may involve intense sadness and withdrawal from usual activities. They are also different in important ways:

• In grief, painful feelings come in waves, often intermixed with positive memories of the deceased. In major depression, mood and/or interest (pleasure) are decreased for most of two weeks.
• In grief, self-esteem is usually maintained. In major depression, feelings of worthlessness and self-loathing are common.
• In grief, thoughts of death may surface when thinking of or fantasizing about “joining” the deceased loved one. In major depression, thoughts are focused on ending one’s life due to feeling worthless or undeserving of living or being unable to cope with the pain of depression.

Grief and depression can co-exist For some people, the death of a loved one, losing a job or being a victim of a physical assault or a major disaster can lead to depression. When grief and depression co-occur, the grief is more severe and lasts longer than grief without depression.

Distinguishing between grief and depression is important and can assist people in getting the help, support or treatment they need.

Risk Factors for Depression

Depression can affect anyone—even a person who appears to live in relatively ideal circumstances.

Several factors can play a role in depression:

• Biochemistry: Differences in certain chemicals in the brain may contribute to symptoms of depression.
• Genetics: Depression can run in families. For example, if one identical twin has depression, the other has a 70 percent chance of having the illness sometime in life.
• Personality: People with low self-esteem, who are easily overwhelmed by stress, or who are generally pessimistic appear to be more likely to experience depression.
• Environmental factors: Continuous exposure to violence, neglect, abuse or poverty may make some people more vulnerable to depression.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION

The symptoms of depression can include:

?A depressed mood: reduced interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed

?A loss of sexual desire

?Changes in appetite

?Unintentional weight loss or gain

?Sleeping too much or too little

?Agitation, restlessness, and pacing up and down

?Slowed movement and speech

?Fatigue or loss of energy

?Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, difficulty in thinking, concentrating, or making decisions

?Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, or an attempt at suicide

How Is Depression Treated?

Depression is among the most treatable of mental disorders. Between 80% and 90% percent of people with depression eventually respond well to treatment. Almost all patients gain some relief from their symptoms.

Before a diagnosis or treatment, a health professional should conduct a thorough diagnostic evaluation, including an interview and a physical examination. In some cases, a blood test might be done to make sure the depression is not due to a medical condition like a thyroid problem or a vitamin deficiency (reversing the medical cause would alleviate the depression-like symptoms). The evaluation will identify specific symptoms and explore medical and family histories as well as cultural and environmental factors with the goal of arriving at a diagnosis and planning a course of action.

Depression is treatable, and managing symptoms usually involves three components:

?Support: This can range from discussing practical solutions and possible causes to educating family members.

?Psychotherapy: Also known as talking therapy, some options include one-to-one counseling and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

?Drug treatment: A doctor may prescribe antidepressants.

MEDICATION
Antidepressants can help treat moderate-to-severe depression.

Several classes of antidepressants are available:
?selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
?monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
?tricyclic antidepressants
?atypical antidepressants
?selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)

NATURAL WAYS TO TREAT DEPRESSION

?Eat healthy
?Take on responsibilities
?Exercise
?Challenge negative thoughts
?Try something new
?Avoid alcohol and drugs

Written by: Josephine Wuraola

Insomnia Causes

Primary causes of insomnia include:

• Stress related to big life events, like a job loss or change, the death of a loved one, divorce, or moving
• Things around you like noise, light, or temperature
• Changes to your sleep schedule like jet lag, a new shift at work, or bad habits you picked up when you had other sleep problems
• Your genes. Research has found that a tendency for insomnia may run in families.

Secondary causes of insomnia include:

• Mental health issues like depression and anxiety
• Medications for colds, allergies, depression, high blood pressure, and asthma.
• Pain or discomfort at night
• Caffeine, tobacco, or alcohol use, as well as use of illicit drugs.
• Hyperthyroidism and other endocrine problems
• Other sleep disorders, like sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome
• Pregnancy
• Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia
• ADHD
• PMS and menopause

Insomnia Risk Factors

Insomnia affects women more than men and older people more than younger ones. Young and middle-age African Americans also have a higher risk.

Other risk factors include:

• Long-term illness
• Mental health issues
• Working night shifts or shifts that rotate

Insomnia Symptoms

Symptoms of insomnia include:

• Sleepiness during the day
• Fatigue
• Grumpiness
• Problems with concentration or memory

TREATMENT

Treatment consists of:

– self care

– improving sleep habits     

– behaviour therapy and identifying and treating underlying causes.

Sleeping pills may also be used, but should be monitored for side effects.

Lifestyle and home remedies

– Stick to a sleep schedule.

– Stay active. 

– Check your medications. 

– Avoid or limit naps

– Avoid or limit caffeine and alcohol and don’t use nicotine.

– Don’t put up with pain. 

– Avoid large meals and beverages before bed.

Written by: Sarah Amah

Dopamine is a chemical in your brain that plays a role in the regulation of cognition, memory, motivation, mood, attention and learning.

Brain health is a critical piece of your overall health. It underlies your ability to communicate, make decisions, problem-solve and live a productive and useful life. Because the brain controls so much of daily function, it is arguably the single most valuable organ in the human body.

The brain is a complex and fascinating organ that should be taken care of from the time in utero to the life you live today and beyond. Unfortunately, there are a lot of conditions that can impact brain health:

1. Vascular diseases
2. Degenerative diseases
3. Brain tissue injuries
4. Inflammation
5. Malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies
6. Immune-mediated diseases
7. Mental health

NATURAL WAYS TO IMPROVE BRAIN HEALTH:

• Exercise
  Regular exercise has been shown to slow age-related brain deterioration and maintain cognitive abilities that typically decrease with age. Exercise also helps lower blood pressure, avoid vascular disease leading to stroke and helps maintain a healthy supply of blood pumping to the brain. Exercising is as easy as going for a walk, playing a sport or attending an exercise class, among many others.
  Mental exercise is just as important as physical exercise. Examples of mental exercises include logic-strengthening education and puzzles. Games such as chess and sudoku use strategic thinking.
• Sleep
  Sleep plays an important role in brain health. Humans spend about one-third of each day sleeping, and sleep is key to brain health. Sleep plays an important role in the function of the brain, the immune system and many other systems in the body. Sleep keeps you sharp, focused and able to make thoughtful decisions. While different age groups require different amounts of sleep, the general recommendation is around six to seven hours a night. This consistent, restful sleep gives your brain time to dispose of metabolic waste and optimise memory.
• Diet
  In the same way that diet is important for the entire body, it’s important for the brain. A balanced diet that includes a variety of fruit, vegetables, protein and whole grains nourishes the body and brain. A diet rich in processed foods, salt and refined sugars, however, can promote inflammation and vascular disease, resulting in tissue damage.
• Environment
  Your environment can also influence brain health. Environmental toxins include contaminants in water, food and the air. These toxins can all lead to neurological issues such as stroke, neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders.
• Access to Care
  The availability and accessibility of care and exposure to preventative programs are important for brain health. Access to care makes it possible to catch issues early, ensure proper treatment and prevent further health issues. When healthcare is not accessible, brain health is impacted.
• Avoid tobacco
  Avoid tobacco in all its forms.
• Care for your emotions
  People who are anxious, depressed, sleep-deprived, or exhausted tend to score poorly on cognitive function tests. But good mental health and restful sleep are certainly important goals.
• Build social networks
  Strong social ties have been associated with a lower risk of dementia, as well as lower blood pressure and longer life expectancy.

When you care for your brain, you are as well caring for your mental health!

Source: Health.harvard.edu
Written by Sarah Amah.